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Bill

LB 162

Adopt the Child Care Safety and Security Act

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Danielle Conrad and 1 co-sponsor

Creates the Child Care Safety and Security Fund to fund grants for designees to operate an emergency notification system, distribute safety materials, and provide reunification training for child care.

Title printed. Carryover bill
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Bill Summary · LB 162

Summary of LB 162 — Child Care Safety and Security Act

Status and Background

  • Introduced: January 13, 2025
  • Committee: Health and Human Services
  • Hearing: January 29, 2025
  • Purpose: Create a framework to align emergency preparedness, response, safety, and reunification practices in child care and early education programs with standards used in K-12 schools, including an electronic emergency response notification system and community-based partnerships.
  • Intent: Facilitate voluntary participation by child care and early education programs at no cost, with funding and coordination provided through designated partnerships.

Purpose and Intent

  • Improve safety and security for children in child care and early education programs.
  • Align emergency preparedness and response standards with those used in elementary and secondary schools.
  • Establish community-based collaborations to coordinate age-appropriate safety and reunification training, disseminate training materials and signage, and operate an electronic emergency notification system.

Key Provisions

Section 1–7: Definitions and Scope

  • Defines terms:
    • “Child care and early education program” = licensed under the Child Care Licensing Act (for-profit or non-profit).
    • “Emergency response notification system” = an electronic alert system for emergencies to targeted subscribers.
    • “Designee” = local entities such as public school districts, local governments, health departments, law enforcement, early childhood support agencies, or emergency management that enter into memoranda of understanding.
    • “Safety and reunification procedure” = a standard approved by the Department of Education.

Section 4: Child Care Safety and Security Fund

  • Creates the Child Care Safety and Security Fund, administered by the Nebraska Department of Education.
  • Fund will receive money appropriated by the Legislature and may be invested as allowed by state law.

Section 5: Grants for Designees and Activities

  • Educational service units (ESUs) may apply for grants on behalf of designees within their geographic boundaries.
  • Grant purposes include:
    • Administering the emergency response notification system for defined geographic areas.
    • Providing a security and safety plan and related training.
    • Distributing safety and reunification materials to facilities.
    • Providing safety and reunification procedure training to administrators, staff, children, and parents.
  • Funding caps: Up to $1,000 per year per designee for each category (notification system, materials distribution, training). Designee funding is to be kept at or under these caps.

Section 5: Memoranda of Understanding and Requirements

  • Designees must have memoranda of understanding establishing:
    • Operation of the emergency notification system for a defined area.
    • Availability of safety and reunification materials.
    • Training coordination and delivery.
  • Designees shall provide a security and safety plan.

Section 6: Reporting

  • Annual reporting due by December 1 to the Clerk of the Legislature.
  • Report contents include:
    • Number and type of designees receiving grants and their geographic coverage.
    • How funds were used.
    • Average grant amounts, by number of children served.
    • Denial counts and reasons for any grant denials.
    • Reports must not identify individual child care programs.

Section 7: Rules and Regulations

  • State Board of Education may adopt and promulgate rules to implement the Act.

Effects and Impacts

  • Targeted Audience:
    • Licensed child care and early education programs.
    • Educational Service Units, local governments, public health departments, law enforcement, and other designees partnering with child care programs.
  • Participation: Voluntary for programs; designed to be at no cost to participating programs.
  • Funding Mechanism: State-funded grants to designees for the three main activities (emergency notifications, materials, and training) with clear annual caps.
  • Operational Changes: Establishes an emergency notification system and formalizes safety and reunification training and materials across communities.
  • Oversight: Regular reporting to the Legislature and potential rulemaking by the State Board.

Notes

  • Mirror emergency response practices used by schools to enhance consistency in crisis response for child care settings.
  • Emphasizes coordination across multiple local entities through memoranda of understanding to ensure streamlined implementation.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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